Porsche Motorsport Newsletter 2009: Volume 3

A lot can happen in a month’s time. If you’re not able to keep up with each Porsche Motorsport post here on FlatSixes.com and would prefer a brief synopsis of what’s happening in the world of Porsche Motorsport, there is no better way to stay in touch than by reviewing the monthly Porsche Motorsport Newsletter. Filled with interesting facts and figures about past and upcoming races, along with changes to team and crew, the Porsche Motorsport Newsletter is an easy way to keep up-to-date on this year’s racing activities.

BF Goodrich Long Distance: First five places to Porsche on the Nürburgring

Flawless season-opener for Porsche customer teams at the first round of the BF Goodrich Long Distance Championship Nürburgring (4 April): With a 911 GT3 RSR run by Manthey Racing, works driver Timo Bernhard and Manthey’s regular pilot Marcel Tiemann won the four hour race on the 24.4 kilometre long combination of the Nordschleife and the Grand Prix circuit. After 27 laps (almost 659 kilometres), the winning team finished 1:03 minutes ahead of Mamerow Racing’s 911 GT3 Cup S with Christian Mamerow and Lance David Arnold. Porsche 911 sports cars also occupied positions three to five at the flag. Porsche juniors Marco Holzer and Martin Ragginger ranked seventh overall and, together with Australia’s Rodney Forbes, won the category for Porsche Cup race cars.

Campionato Italiano Gran Turismo: Two works drivers for Autorlando Sport

Two Porsche factory drivers support the Autorlando Sport team and its Portuguese driver Francisco Cruz Martins in the top category of the Italian GT Championship in its hunt for the title. Wolf Henzler contests the first races with the Portuguese pilot in the ca. 450 hp 911 GT3 RSR, with Sascha Maassen taking over for the rest of the races. Season-opener: 29 May, Vallelunga.

American Le Mans Series: Clear victory for Flying Lizard

With a two-lap advantage over the fastest rival, Joerg Bergmeister and Patrick Long won the second round of the ALMS in St. Petersburg, Florida (4 April) for the Flying Lizard Motorsports squad piloting 911 GT3 RSR. Bad luck for Wolf Henzler/Dirk Werner in the GT3 RSR of Farnbacher Loles Racing: After taking up the race from the first row, the duo fell back to seventh place due to a brake line defect.

Le Mans Series: Felbermayr-Proton 911 wins 1,000 kilometre sprint

After a spectacular chase through the field, works drivers Marc Lieb and Richard Lietz secured the GT2 class victory at the first round of the Le Mans Series on the Circuit de Catalunya (5 April) near Barcelona. With a GT3 RSR fielded by Felbermayr-Proton, Lieb/Lietz had initially opted for tyres that proved to be too hard and fell back, only to emerge victorious after 1,000 kilometres.

SCCA Pro Racing Speed GT: Win for newcomer Tony Rivera

He came, saw and won: Tony Rivera from Texas won the Gold Cup at last year’s GT3 Cup Challenge in America, moved out of the amateur series into the fiercely-contested “Speed GT”, and promptly won at his first race, the opening round to the season in Sebring on 20th March.

Race notes

Two Porsche aces for Audi: Porsche works drivers Timo Bernhard and Romain Dumas will pilot an Audi R15 TDI at the Le Mans 24 hour race (13/14 June). As reigning ALMS champions in the Prototype Class 2 and as multiple 24 hour race winners, both have a wealth of experience +++ Return of a winner: Two Porsche RS Spyder sports prototypes race at the second round of the Le Mans Series on 10 May in Belgium’s Spa. The Danish Essex team and the Navi Goh squad from Japan use the 1,000 kilometre race as preparation for Le Mans.

Spirited chase in Sebring: Works pilots Joerg Bergmeister/Marc Lieb/Patrick Long were clearly the fastest in their class at the wheel of a 911 GT3 RSR run by Flying Lizard Motorsports at the Sebring 12 hour race (21 March). Two nudges from opponents prevented a better result than fourth, despite a spectacular catch up race through the field +++ Even stronger Porsche presence in the ALMS: at five races, the “Challenge Class” has been added as the fifth vehicle category exclusively for the 911 GT3 Cup from the Patrón GT3 Challenge +++ Tenth for Haruki Kurosawa and Tsubasa Abe in the Taisan team’s GT3 RS at a rain-drenched first round of the Japanese Super GT Series in Okayama (22 March).

One Make Race Series

Patrón GT3 Challenge by Yokohama: Masterly start for Faieta and Snow
Bob Faieta took off into the new season of the American Patrón GT3 Challenge like he finished the old one. The reigning champion of the Platinum Class for 911 GT3 Cup cars from 2008 and 2009 model years won both races from pole position in Sebring on the last weekend in March. Melanie Snow clinched victory in both Gold Cup races for 911 GT3 Cup cars from the 2005 to 2007 model years. The reigning Gold Cup champion finished every race since Sebring 2008 in the top three, but last year was unable to claim one victory.

Carrera Cup Great Britain: Bridgman’s weekend double at season-opener

A perfect start to the season for Tim Bridgman in the 911 GT3 Cup fielded by Team Parker Racing in Brands Hatch (4/5 April). With flag-to-flag victories at both championship rounds, the professional race driver planted himself at the head of the points table. Tim Harvey (Red Line Racing), as reigning champion, finished second twice ahead of Michael Caine (Motorbase Performance) who secured the last remaining podium step at both races.